NEWS

European Commission Proposes Restrictions on Flame Retardants in Toys

July 29, 2013 | The European Commission (EC) has issued a draft proposal that would introduce specific limit values for flame retardants in toys under the European Union’s Toy Safety Directive (TSD).

If enacted, the requirement would take effect 18 months after adoption, and all companies importing toys into Europe would be required to ensure that their products do not exceed the proposed content limit values of 5 mg/kg (parts per million, or ppm) for: tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate (TCPP), and tris[2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl)ethyl] phosphate (TDCPP).
“Since none of these chemicals are typically added to toys, this requirement will simply increase compliance costs without actually improving the safety of the toys themselves,” said Alan Kaufman, TIA senior vice president of technical affairs. “In addition, the setting of total content limits ignores important factors, such as exposure and risk. There is simply no valid justification for the limits chosen by the European Commission.”

TIA continues to advocate for international toy safety requirements that are scientifically sound, risk-based and aligned across borders. The EC is now accepting comments regarding this draft directive; TIA will keep members apprised of developments.